NHTSA Complaint #10240492 — 2002 FORD F-150

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. I PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD. THE EXPLOSION HAD DENTED THE INSIDE OF THE HOOD. I FOUND A BROKEN COIL LAYING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE, AND THE CORRESPONDING SPARK PLUG LAYING BENEATH THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO RE-THREADED THE SPARK PLUG HOLE AND INSTALLED A NEW SPARK PLUG. THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS USUAL FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, AND THEN THE SAME EXACT SITUATION OCCURRED, INVOLVING THE SAME EXACT SPARK PLUG. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, THE PLUG AND COIL WERE SO DAMAGED THAT THE HEAD COULD NOT BE RE-THREADED AND REPAIRED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I FOUND THAT DOZENS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS DUE TO AN ENGINE AND/OR PISTON DEFECT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE REQUIRED DRILLING OUT THE AFFECTED HEAD, TAPPING IT, AND INSTALLING A HELICOIL BEFORE THE SPARK PLUG COULD BE REPLACED. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, SINCE IN ADDITION TO THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAS CAUSED ME, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS WELL. WHILE I HAVE NOT HAD AN ENGINE FIRE, OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE REPORTED ENGINE FIRES. *TR